Sinking of Wayne Newton-owned yacht ruled an accident

Posted on February 21st, 2014

Marine investigators have concluded that the sinking last fall of a Lake Mead yacht owned by Las Vegas entertainer Wayne Newton was an accident.

The Oct. 18 sinking of the 65-foot aluminum luxury houseboat named Rendezvous was traced to the failure of two hoses to drain water from a rear storage compartment, Lake Mead National Recreation Area spokeswoman Christie Vanover told the Las Vegas Review-Journal on Thursday.

No one was on board the 1996 SkipperLiner when it went down stern-first in 45 feet of water, leaving its bow extending straight up from the surface in a covered slip at Temple Bar Marina. No one was injured.

Vanover said the cause was traced to “problems with two hoses used to drain water from aft storage compartments.” One of the hoses was kinked, she said, and the other was not properly connected.

The boat has since been raised and salvaged, but all contents were lost to water damage, she said.